As an avid gamer I wanted to take some time to address some common questions related to clan and guild websites such as clan web hosting, tips for getting sponsored, and how you can create your own clan or guild website.Â Throughout the article you will find some gaming information I wish I would have known back when I was starting my own clan.Â Also wanted to go ahead and point out to any viewer(s) who are serious about setting up a website for their clan or guild you can save some money on web hosting by using any of our promotional links or banners when signing up with HostMonster.

What is A Clan or Guild Website?

To answer this question as accurately as possible, you will first need to know what a clan or guild is.Â To get a better understanding, lets take a minute and review the definition for each.

Clan-Â The term “clan” is referring to a group of individuals who have formed a “team” on a multiplayer video game.Â For example, a clan can simply be a group of friends playing together online or can be made up of more competitive individuals who look to challenge other clans for their respective games.Â The more competitive clans can be found on video game ladders such as gamebattles.com.

Guilds– The exact same definition as “clan” but the term “guild” is more commonly used for gamers that participate in role playing video games such as World of Warcraft.

A clan or guild website is exactly what you might expect it to be.Â It’s a website dedicated to a particular clan or guild that allows the members to share and connect throughout the web.Â For example, some video game teams may use their personalized website to recruit new members, share their teams gaming accomplishments, or communicate with other members and video game patrons through the use of forums.

What Is Clan & Guild Web Hosting?

Clan & Guild Web Hosting is a specialized form of web hosting that can handle all the specific needs for a gaming website.Â For example, gamers will most certainly want web hosting that can handle different features such as:Â Images or Screenshots of their matches, videos or any montages created, forums to allow the community to communicate while still being able to carry out all of the basic website functions such as listing team rosters, team information, team events, etc.

In order to handle these wide range of features, its best to choose a web hosting service such as HostMonster that can handle large amounts of data and a wide range of functions at top speed.Â You would be surprised with the difference a quality web host can make.

Do Clans & Guilds Really Need Their Own Website?

One of the fastest growing trends for gamers of any skill level, professionals or weekend warriors, are the use of websites dedicated to their craft.Â Clan & Guild websites hold great importance in terms of setting a professional image for those looking to lure potential sponsors.Â But not all gamers are looking for “Pro Status”. . .Â Instead, some gamers need a website for communication, recruiting, and bragging rights by listing their accomplishments.Â So whichever level you compete at, making your presence felt with your own website is definitely something to consider.

Those looking for Professional Status – One of the most common mistakes made by gamers looking for sponsorship is the idea that they only need top level talent and a great win/loss ratio.Â While being one of the best for a particular game plays a major role, sponsors are also looking for a team that they know is the real deal when it comes to gaming; not just a group of talent thrown together over the weekend.

Sponsors are looking for that professional image mentioned earlier that stands out from the rest.Â One of the key ingredients for setting your team apart from the competition is by having your own website.Â It tells the sponsors and the entire gaming community your team is in it for the long hale.Â Also keep in mind, getting sponsored isn’t just to reward those who put the time and effort into gaming, its a business.Â With that being said, sponsors are looking to advertise their products through you and your team, so having advertising space on your website for them to use plays a HUGE role in obtaining sponsorship(s).

Average Joe’s need bragging rights too – While the casual everyday gamer isn’t looking to turn pro or achieve sponsors that the pros crave,Â having their own website can let them keep track of their gaming accomplishments.Â As an avid gamer myself, its always fun to brag about dominating a few of the guys from the office (Jason & Mike) in a game of Madden and then posting the evidence on my website for everyone to see.

The clans who simply enjoy playing together also need their own spot to communicate with one another and recruit new members outside of the console.Â This is a huge reason why you are starting to see more and more clan & guild websites sprouting up all over the web.Â As previously mentioned throughout the page, its important to have forums for communication, list your teams upcoming events, and show a sense of organization with all of your clan or guild background information.

How Much Does It Cost To Have A Clan or Guild Website?

For those of you new to how a website works you will need to purchase web hosting.Â Knowing that owning a website is another expense added along with high speed internet, controllers, consoles and games. . .Â we wanted to make sure it was something everyone can afford, so we have partnered with HostMonster to allow all of our gaming viewers web hosting for $3.95 per month by simply using our promotional banner found below.

How Do You Start A Clan or Guild Website?

For all of those viewers who are unfamiliar with HTML and complex computer codes, you will want to use the tool “WordPress” to create your clan or guild website.Â To keep it simple,Â WordPress allows you to download pre-designed website templates that require no advance computer skills or prior knowledge.Â Once you have installed WordPress onto your HostMonster web hosting, simply download your theme and begin adding your clans content.Â Step-by-step instructions can be found below.

Step 1- The first step, if you haven’t already done so, is to sign-up for your web hosting.Â Make sure you take advantage of our HostMonster promo by using the promotional banner found above or use the HostMonster Promo Link to receive your web hosting at the discounted price of $3.95 per month.Â Keep in mind you will register your domain name (ex. myclansite.com) during this process.

Step 2- Install the WordPress tool onto your HostMonster control panel.Â If you need farther instructions on how to install WordPress, please visit the article “WordPress Installation” or contact us and we will be happy to install WordPress onto your account for you at no cost.Â We also have a complete guide to creating websites using wordpress.

Step 3- Select and download your WordPress theme to give your clan or guild website a professional feel.Â You can either choose one of the thousands of free wordpress themes on the web or you can even purchase premium themes from sites like WooThemes.com.